Please note: we are in the process of updating this page with the most recent statistics from the newly published National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior (NSSBH). Please check back for continuted updates. For more information on the 2010 National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior
, visit NationalSexStudy.indiana.edu/.

Age at First Intercourse

By their late teenage years, at least 3/4 of all men and women have had intercourse, and more than 2/3 of all sexually experienced teens have had 2 or more partners (AGI, 2002).

A 2007 evaluation of Abstinence (only) Sex Education programs by Mathmatica Policy Research did not find that they had any effects on rates of abstinence among youth, nor on the average age of first intecourse. Government funded abstinence based programs, compared to previous sex education programs, show little significant difference in rates of teen sex. http://www.mathematica-mpr.com/publications/PDFs/impactabstinence.pdf

Average age of first intercourse, by ethnicity

BDSM

In a small sample there were no significant differences between BDSM practitioners and the general population on measures of psychopathology, depression, anxiety, OCD, and psychological sadism and masochism. (Connoly 2006)

A study looking at message board posts found 71% of heterosexual males but only 11% of heterosexual females and 12% of homosexual males prefer a dominant role when engaging in sexual bondage. (Ernulf, 1995.)

The National Coalition for Sexual Freedom, a national organization committed to supporting the equal rights of consenting adults who practice forms of alternative sexual expression, conducted an informal survey of SM practitioners in 1998-1999. Some survey results are available on the NCSF website, and indicate that SM practitioners may be at greater risk for harassment, violence, and damage to property.(NCSF, 1999)

5-10% of the U.S. engages in SM for sexual pleasure on at least an
occasional basis (Lowe, 1983).

Condom Use

Condom Use Rates by Age and Gender

Information on condom use and errors, from ongoing research at The Kinsey Institute:

28.1% of men reported that they had lost their erection while putting on a condom at least once during the last three times they used a condoms.

Men who reported erection loss with condoms were almost twice as likely to report having removed a condom prematurely during the last three condom uses. (40.8% of men reporting erection loss prematurely removed condoms, compared with 21.3% of men not reporting problems)

Erection loss was more likely among men who reported at least one condom breakage (47.1 percent) compared with men not reporting breakage (32.5 percent).

A study at The Kinsey Institute found some of the most common problems with condom use to be damage (74%), not checking the expiration date (61%), and not discussing condom use with a partner before sex (60%). In addition, various technical errors were found, including putting on the condom after starting sex (43%), taking off the condom before sex was over (15%), not leaving a space at the tip of the condom (40%), and placing the condom upside down on the penis and then having to flip it over (30%).
29% of study participants reported condom breakage and 13% reported that the condom slipped off during sex. Individuals who reported slippage or breakage also had significantly higher scores for condom use errors. http://newsinfo.iu.edu/news/page/normal/4334.html,
"Condom, erection-loss study identifies possible path to risky behavior," Indiana University Press Release (2006)

Recalled onset of first sexual fantasy is generally between 11-13yrs with men recalling earlier onset of fantasy than women. (Leitenberg, 1995)

Sexual fantasies are healthy, occurring most often in people showing the fewest sexual problems and least sexual dissatisfaction. (Leitenberg, 1995).

While both men and women can experience similar fantasies, women more often fantasize about taking a passive role or being dominated while men more often fantasize about taking a dominant role, doing something sexual to their partner, or having multiple partners. (Leitenberg, 1995).

18-29 year olds have sex an average of 112 times per year, 30-39 year
olds an average of 86 times per year, and 40-49 year olds an average
of 69 times per year (Mosher, Chandra, Jones 2005).

23% of non-married men reported they have never had sex in the past
year, 25% reported only a few times in the past year, 26% reported a
few times in the past month, 19% reported 2-3 times a week, and 7% reported
4 or more times a week (Laumann, Gagnon, Michael,
Michaels, 1994).

32% of non-married women reported they have never had sex in the past
year, 23% reported only a few times in the past year, 24% reported a
few times in the past month, 15% reported 2-3 times a week, and 5% reported
4 or more times a week (Laumann, Gagnon, Michael,
Michaels, 1994).

1% of married men reported they have never had sex in the past year,
13% reported only a few times in the past year, 43% reported a few times
in the past month, 36% reported 2-3 times a week, and 7% reported 4
or more times a week (Laumann, Gagnon, Michael, Michaels,
1994).

3% of married women reported they have never had sex in the past year,

12% reported only a few time in the past year, 47% reported a few
times in the past month, 32% reported 2-3 times a week, and 7% reported
4 or more times a week (Laumann, Gagnon, Michael,
Michaels, 1994).

13% of married couples reported having sex a few times per year, 45%
reported a few times per month, 34% reported 2-3 times per week, and
7% reported 4 or more times per week (Laumann, Gagnon,
Michael, Michaels, 1994).

Homosexuality

In an analysis of national survey results from 2006-2008, The percentage reporting their sexual identity as homosexual ranged from 2% to 4% of males, and about 1% to 2% of females. The percentage reporting their sexual identity as bisexual is between 1% and 3% of males, and 2% to 5% of females. (Chandra, Mosher, Copen, and Sionean 2011)

While about 7% of adult women and 8% of men identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual, the proportion of individuals in the U.S. who have had same-gender sexual interactions at some point in their lives is higher. (NSSHB, 2010)

In a national survey, 90% of men aged 18-44 considered themselves to be heterosexual, 2.3% as homosexual, 1.8% as bisexual, and 3.9% as 'something else' (Mosher, Chandra, & Jones, 2005).

Among women aged 18-44 in the same survey, 90% said they were heterosexual, 1.3% homosexual, 2.8% bisexual, and 3.8% as 'something else' (Mosher, Chandra, & Jones, 2005).

4% of men and 2% of women consider themselves homosexual while 5%
of men and 3% of women consider themselves bisexual (Janus
& Janus, 1993).

88.2% of adolescent youths as a Minnesota junior/senior high school
described himself or herself as heterosexual, while 1.1% described himself
or herself as bisexual or homosexual, and 10.7% were not sure of their
sexual orientation (Remafedi, 1992).

Women are less approving than men of sexual justifications for extramarital affairs, preferring emotional reasons such as “falling in love”. (Glass, 1992).

Approximately 50% of divorced men and women reported that their former spouse had engaged in extra-marital sex.
For divorced couples, previous participation in extramarital sex showed no effect on post-marital adjustment. (Spanier, 1982).

11% of adults who have ever been married or cohabited have been unfaithful to their partner (Treas & Giesen, 2000).

Infidelity is influenced by many social and demographic factors. All of the following were associated with an increased risk of infidelity: having been part of a couple for a long time; having had a high number of prior sex partners; being male or black; living in a central city; and thinking about sex several times a day (Treas & Giesen, 2000).

Respondents who reported that their relationships were "pretty happy" and "not
too happy" were two and four times more likely, respectively, to have reported extramarital sex than respondents who reported that they were "very happy" with their relationships (Atkins et al., 2001).

In a study of Internet addiction of 396 "addicts", as defined by the
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV, the average
time spent on the Internet for nonacademic and nonprofessional purposes
was 38 hours per week (Cooper, Scherer, Boies, Gordon,
1999).

3% of men have had zero sexual partners since the age of 18, 20% have
had 1 partner, 21% have had 2-4 partners, 23% have had 5-10 partners,
16% have had 11-20 partners, and 17% have had 21 or more partners (Laumann,
Gagnon, Michael, Michaels, 1994).

3% of women have had zero sexual partners since the age of 18, 31%
have had 1 partner, 36% have had 2-4 partners, 20% have had 5-10 partners,
6% have had 11-20 partners, and 3% have had 21 or more partners (Laumann,
Gagnon, Michael, Michaels, 1994).

Orgasm

About 85% of men report that their partner had an orgasm at the most recent sexual event; this compares to the 64% of women who report having had an orgasm at their most recent sexual event. (A difference that is too large to be accounted for by some of the men having had male partners at their most recent event.) (NSSHB, 2010.)

Men are more likely to orgasm when sex includes vaginal intercourse; women are more likely to orgasm when they engage in a variety of sex acts and when oral sex or vaginal intercourse is included. (NSSHB, 2010.)

Among ages 18-59, older age for men is associated with lower likelihood of his own orgasm; for women it is associated with a higher likelihood of her own orgasm. Age is not associated with the partner's orgasm for either men or women. NSSHB, 2010.

Women are much more likely to be nearly always or always orgasmic when alone than with a partner. However, among women currently in a partnered relationship, 62% say they are very satisfied with the frequency/consistency of orgasm (Davis, Blank, Hung-Yu, & Bonillas, 1996).

Many women express that their most satisfying sexual experiences entail being connected to someone, rather than solely basing satisfaction on orgasm (Bridges, Lease, & Ellison, 2004).

Pregnancy

Roughly six million U.S. women become pregnant per year. About two-thirds of these pregnancies result in live births and roughly 25% in abortions; the remainder end in miscarriage. (AGI, 2005).

The U.S. teen pregnancy rate fell by 27 percent between 1990 and 2000, from 116.3 pregnancies per 1,000 girls aged 15-19 to 84.5. This data includes live births, abortions, and fetal losses. Pregnancy data includes live births, induced abortions, and fetal losses (NCHS, 2004).

Prostitution/Sex Work

15.3% of men estimated to have had sex with a prostitute previously (Smith 2006)

Despite common conceptions of prostitution, only a minority of prostitutes work on the streets (10–30%). While street prostitution receives the majority of legal attention, far more prostitutes work as escorts, call girls, or in massage parlors and brothels. (Weitzer, 2005).

Reproductive Health

Postpartum depression (PPD) strikes about 1 in 10 Western women. Studies of Western women have demonstrated that this emotional experience can occur during pregnancy and/or after delivery, and even in women who adopt an infant. (Goldbort, 2006).

Each year, 210 million women suffer life-threatening complications of pregnancy and half a
million die from pregnancy-related causes (99% of them in developing countries) (Glasier et al, 2006).

Each year, 3 million babies die in the first week of life and about 3.3 million infants are
stillborn. (Glasier et al, 2006).

Currently, more than 120 million couples a year have an unmet need for contraception (Glasier et al, 2006).

Among participants aged 18-59 in the National Survey of Sexual Health Behavior (2010), age was related to greater difficulty with erections and lubrication. NSSHB, 2010.

Among ages 18-59, older age for men is associated with lower likelihood of his own orgasm; for women it is associated with a higher likelihood of her own orgasm. Age is not associated with the partner's orgasm for either men or women. NSSHB, 2010.

For women aged 50 and higher, older age is related to a decline in all sexual behaviors: 5% per year of age for penile-vaginal intercourse; 7% per year of age receiving or giving oral sex (NSSHB, 2010).

For men aged 50 and higher, rates for anal intercourse and receiving oral sex decrease at 8% per year of age (NSSHB, 2010).

Most men (63.46%) and approximately half of women (46.73%) aged 50 and higher report masturbating in the last year. Overall rates for oral sex, penile-vaginal intercourse, and anal intercourse within the last year were similar (NSSHB, 2010).

Rates of condom usage are low among adults aged 50 and higher, with approximately 2/3 reporting they did not use a condom during their last sexual encounter (NSSHB, 2010).

Percentage of Men Reporting Use of Erectile Medication During Their Last Sexual Encounter

Sex and Relationships

More than half the participants in the 2010 national sex survey ages 18-24 indicated that their most recent sexual partner was a casual or dating partner. For all other age groups, the majority of study participants indicated that their most recent sexual partner was a relationship partner. (NSSHB, 2010).

Men whose most recent sexual encounter was with a relationship partner reported greater arousal, greater pleasure, fewer problems with erectile function, orgasm, and less pain during the event than men whose last sexual encounter was with a non-relationship partner. (NSSHB, 2010).

Nearly all Americans marry during their lifetime, yet close to half of all first marriages are expected to end in separation or divorce, many within a few years (Bramlett, 2002) and subsequent marriages are even more likely to end (Karney, 1995).

Most newly married couples wish to have children at some point during their marriage (Matthews & Matthews, 1986), or already have them.

Approximately 15% of married couples, however, are estimated to experience problems trying to become pregnant and seek help, which not uncommonly involves recommendations regarding the timing and frequency of sexual interactions. (Haugen et al., 2004; Meyers, Diamond, Kezur, et al, 1995).

A study of married couples found age and marital satisfaction to be the two variables most associated with amount of sex. As couples age, they engage in sex less frequently with half of couples age 65-75 still engaging in sex, but less than one fourth of couples over 75 still sexually active. Across all ages couples who reported higher levels of marital satisfaction also reported higher frequencies of sex. (Call, 1995).

Sex Practices

There is wide variability in what people consider included in “having sex”. In a recent study at The Kinsey Institute, nearly 45% of participants considered performing manual-genital stimulation to be “having sex,” 71% considered performing oral sex to be “sex,” 80.8% for anal-genital intercourse. Considerations of “sex” also varied depending on whether or not a condom was used, female or male orgasm, and if the respondent was performing or receiving the stimulation.

With participants ranging from 18 to 96 years, the oldest and youngest groups of men were less likely to consider some behaviors as “sex”.

Percentage of Americans Performing Certain Sexual Behaviors in the Past Year

There is enormous variability in the sexual repertoires of U.S. adults, with more than 40 combinations of sexual activity described at adults’ most recent sexual event. NSSHB, 2010

Adult men and women rarely engage in just one sex act when they have sex. NSSHB, 2010

While vaginal intercourse is still the most common sexual behavior reported by adults, many sexual events do not involve intercourse and include only partnered masturbation or oral sex. NSSHB, 2010

Half or more of women ages 18 to 39 reported giving or receiving oral sex in the past 90 days. NSSHB, 2010

Receptive oral sex is reported by more than half of women who are in a co-habitating relationship between the ages of 18 and 69. It was also reported by more than half of women cohabitation between ages 18 and 49, and more than half of married women ages 30-39.NSSHB, 2010

A similar pattern was found for women performing oral sex. NSSHB, 2010

For most age groups of women, perceeived health status was significantly associated with having performed oral sex in the past 90 days. NSSHB, 2010

The majority of women age 18-49 report vaginal intercourse in the past 90 days. NSSHB, 2010

Partnered women in all age groups are significantly more likely to report recent vaginal intercourse, and the gap between partnered and nonpartnered women's reports of vaginal intercourse increased with age. NSSHB, 2010

Although anal intercourse is reported by fewer women than other partnered sex behaviors, it is not rare. NSSHB, 2010

Partnered women in the ages groups between 18-49 are significantly more likely to report having anal sex in the past 90 days. NSSHB, 2010

Sexual Violence

272,350 sexual assaults in 2006 in the US: 1 sexual assault every 116 seconds, or about 1 every 2 minutes. (US Dept of Justice, National Crime Victimization Survey, 2006).

Less than 5% of rapes were reported to law enforcement officials. (Fisher, 2000).

Rape rates are often drastically high in worn-torn nations. In Rwanda in 1994, it is estimated that between 250,000 and 500,000 women and girls were raped in less than 100 days (Human Rights Watch, 1996).

In the general population in the US, 14.8% of women report an experience with a completed rape in their lifetime. Another 2.8% report an attempted rape in their lifetime
(Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000).

An estimated 100 million to 400 million women worldwide have been subjected to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). About 3 million girls are subjected to the procedure every year (World Health Organization, 2006).

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 19 million new sexually-transmitted infections occur each year, almost half of
them among young people ages 15 to 24 (Weinstock, Berman , Cates, 2004).

By the age of 24, one in three sexually active people will have contracted
an STI (KFF, 1998).

At least 65 million people, more than one in 5 Americans, are believed
to be infected with a viral STI other than HIV (NCHSTP,
1998).

The CDC reports persistent racial disparities in STD rates. Blacks represent only 12 percent of the total U.S. population, but made up about 70 percent of gonorrhea cases and almost half of all chlamydia and syphilis cases in 2007. While Hispanics account for 15 percent of the U.S. population, they account for 19 percent of all reported chlamydia cases(CDC, 2007). The CDC suggests that "Socioeconomic barriers to quality healthcare and STD prevention and treatment services have likely contributed to a higher prevalence and incidence of STDs among racial and ethnic minorities."

Chlamydia remains the most reported infections disease in the US, and also the most undiagnosed; It is estimated that there are approximately 2.8 million new cases of chlamydia
in the United States each year, and nearly half of these are unreported (Weinstock, Berman , Cates, 2004).

The reported chlamydia case rate for females in 2007 was almost three times higher than for males. This may be in part because increased public knowledge of the disease has led to an increase in screening among young women (CDC, 2007).

Chlamydia is common among all races and ethnic groups; however, African-American, American Indian/ Alaska Native, and Hispanic women are disproportionately affected (CDC, 2007).

The rate of primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis — the most infectious stages of the disease — decreased throughout the 1990s, and in 2000 reached an all-time low. However, over the past seven years, the syphilis rate in the United States has been increasing. Between 2006 and 2007, the national P&S syphilis rate increased 15.2 percent, from 3.3 to 3.8 cases per 100,000 population (CDC, 2007).

The gap between syphilis rates in men and women has grown consistently. The P&S syphilis rate among males is now six times the rate among females, whereas the rates were almost equivalent a decade ago, suggesting that increases in men have largely been among men who have sex with men (MSM). (CDC, 2007)

Even so, overall infection rates among women also increased every year from 2004 to 2007. The largest increases were among black females (CDC, 2007).

The rate of congenital syphilis (i.e., transmission from mother to infant) increased for the second year in a row in 2007. Increases in congenital syphilis have historically followed increases among women (CDC, 2007).

In 2007, the syphilis rate among blacks was seven times higher than that of whites (14.0 per 100,000 population as compared with 2.0). While this represents a substantial decline from 1999, when the rate among blacks was 29 times greater than among whites, significant disparities remain (CDC, 2007) .

After a sharp decline from 1975-1997, rates for gonorrhea have remained stable over the last decade. In 2007, the overall gonorrhea rate was 118.9 cases per 100,000 population, and rates were slightly higher among women (123.5) than among men (113.7). (CDC, 2007).

Like chlamydia, gonorrhea is substantially under diagnosed and under reported, and approximately twice as many new infections are estimated to occur each year as are reported (Weinstock, Berman , Cates, 2004).

Gonorrhea is the second most commonly reported infectious disease in the United States, with 330,132 cases reported in 2004 (Weinstock, Berman , Cates, 2004).

Racial disparities in gonorrhea rates are the most severe of all reportable STDs. The gonorrhea rate among blacks was 19 times greater than that of whites in 2007. (CDC, 2007).

Teen Sexual Activity

At any given point in time, most U.S. adolescents are not engaging in partnered sexual behavior. While 40% of 17 year-old males reported vaginal intercourse in the past year, only 27% reported the same in the past 90 days. (NSSHB, 2010)

Solo masturbation is the most prevalent teenage sexual activity, and reported recent solo masturbation is high at 43% of males and 37% of females. (NSSHB, 2010)

Solo masturbation rates increase in males to about 2/3 of 17-year-olds, but stay stable among females of all age groups at about 1/3. (NSSHB, 2010)

Rates of recent oral sex are relatively low among 14-year-olds (4.3% female partners for young men and 6.6% male partners for young women), but increase with age. (NSSHB, 2010)

Among men aged 15-19 years, 45.1% reported no partners in the last 12 months, 29.7% reported one partner of the opposite sex in the last 12 months, and 21.8% reported two or more partners of the opposite sex in the previous year. (Mosher, Chandra, & Jones, 2005)

Among women aged 15-19 years, 42.9% reported no partners in the last 12 months, 30.5% reported one partner of the opposite sex in the last 12 months, and 16.8% reported two or more partners of the opposite sex in the previous year. (Mosher, Chandra, & Jones, 2005)

Among men aged 15-19, 2.4% reported having had same-sex sexual contact in the previous 12 months, and 4.5% reported having had same-sex contact in their lifetime. (Mosher, Chandra, & Jones, 2005)

Transgender

Prevalence

There is not a wealth of research on the prevalence of transgenderism and transsexualism. Research that has been done has tended to focus on a particular set of individuals: transsexual individuals who experience gender dysphoria and who present for gender-transition-related care at specialist gender clinics. This does not represent the numbers of other transgender or transsexual individuals who may not experience gender dysphoria and may not seek any kind of medical treatment. Some people consider the description of transgender and transexual as "gender identity disorder" to be controversial, stigmatizing non-conforming sexuality as a disorder requiring treatment. The American Psychiatric Association is currently debating the replacement of "gender identity disorder" with "gender dysphoria" in the DSM-IV.

In Adults

A review of 8 transgender studies found rates for male-to-female transgenderism between 1 in11,900 to 1 in 45,000 WPATH, 2011.

The same review found rates for female-to-male transgenderism between 1 in 30,400 to 1 in 200,000. WPATH, 2011.

"Gender dysphoria during childhood does not inevitably continue into adulthood.
Rather, in follow-up studies of prepubertal children (mainly boys) who were referred to clinics for assessment of gender dysphoria, the dysphoria persisted into adulthood for only 6-23% of children (Cohen-Kettenis, 2001; Zucker & Bradley, 1995). Boys in these studies were more likely to identify as gay in adulthood than as transgender (Green, 1987; Money & Russo,1979; Zucker & Bradley, 1995; Zuger, 1984). Newer studies, also including girls, showed a 12-27% persistence rate of gender dysphoria into adulthood (Drummond, Bradley, Peterson-Badali, & Zucker, 2008; Wallien & Cohen-Kettenis, 2008)." -cited in WPATH, 2011, 17.

Sexual Attraction

Among male-to-female transgender people (MtF), 27 percent are attracted to men, 35 percent are attracted to women and 38 percent are attracted to men and women. Bockting, 2008.

Among female-to-male transgender people (FtM), 10 percent are attracted to men, 55 percent are attracted to women and 35 percent are attracted to men and women.
Bockting, 2008.

Vagina Size

The average vagina measures 62.7 mm with a relatively large range (40.8–95 mm) and the width of the vagina varies along its length. The position of the cervix, marking the end of the vagina, can also vary at different points in a woman’s cycle or pregnancy.

Bramlett, M. D. and W. D. Mosher (2002). "Cohabitation, marriage, divorce, and remarriage in the United States." Vital & Health Statistics - Series 23, Data from the National Survey of Family Growth 22: 1-93.

Edwards, J. N. and A. Booth (1994). Sexuality, marriage, and well-being: The middle years. Sexuality across the life course. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation series on mental health and development: Studies on successful midlife development. A. S. E. Rossi. Chicago, The University of Chicago Press: 233-259.

Tjaden P, Thoennes N. Full Report of the Prevalence, Incidence, and Consequences of Violence
Against Women. National Institute of Justice and the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, 2000.http://www.ncjrs.gov/txtfiles1/nij/183781.txt